Blow-out preventer



Patented 8, 1939 e l y* l UNITED sf'rli'rlfas PATENT cil-FICEV Leon E. Day, Long Beach, Calif., assignor to Regan Forge& vEngineering Company, a corporation of California Application' october 7, 193s, seril No. 233,787 s claims. (ci. 16e-+15) This invention relates generally to equipment Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing used in the drilling of oil and gas vwells and the blowout prevention means in operative pcsiparticularly to devices used to control gas prestion: and K sures for the prevention of blowouts. Fig. 4 is a sectional plan view on line 4-4 of In the drilling of o'il and gas wells it is com- Fig.v 2*, showing the packer in top plan view. 5 mon to' unexpectedly encounter formations or Morel particularly describing the invention, refpocketsy Where there is an extremely high gas erence numeralll generally indicatesthe outer pressure. Some provision must be made at the casing of an oil well which may be considered upper end 'of the drill hole to prevent the inas extending down into a bore hole in the earth.

1c creased gaspressure from blowing the tools and Mounted on the upper end of this casing is a l0 rotary mud from the hole in order to prevent 'conventional gate valve generally indicated by loss of the hole,v injury to the workmen and the reference numeral I2 secured thereto by any possibility of a serious gas re. I am aware ordinary flanged joint such as at i3. The blowthat various types of blowout preventers have out preventer of this invention, generally indii5 been used, but to the best of my knowledge these cated by reference numeral I4 is mounted by 15 devices often fail to function quickly enough or means of a flanged joint l5 on the upper'.` end of theyl interfere with the drilling of the well or the gate .valve I2. The blowout preventer is with the insertion or withdrawal of L"tools and provided with a laterally threaded opening I6 tubing, which is adapted to accommodate an outlet con- Therefore, it is a primary object of this invenduit I1 for the return flow of the rotary mud 20 tion to provide a. means for automatically shut- -which is normally pumped into a well during ting 0E and controlling high gas pressures which thepreSS 0f drilling. This conduit I1 is prefmay be suddenly and unpredictably encountered erably provided with a manual control valve I8. in the drilling operation to prevent the possibility Referring particularly to Figs. 2 and 3 for the of blowouts. In this connection it is a particular details of construction and the operation of the 25 object to provide a, blowout preventer for conblOWout preventer, reference numeral 20 inditrolling any sudden 'high gas pressure which may cates the main body 0f the blOWOllt Preventeh develop during the insertion or withdrawal of This main body is provided with an upper bore drill pipe or other objects. 2i which terminates at'its lower end in a shoul- It is also an object of this invention to provide der 22 and a benvelled Surface 23 Which separate ab a blowout preventer or closure means which can the upper bOle f rOm a lower bore 24 0f reduced be 4utilized during cementing and testing operadiameter. This bore 24 iS Preferably approxitions, mately the same diameter as the inner diameter It is a particular object of this invention to 0f the Casing' H- The bedy member 20 iS PrO- provide a blowout preventer whichcan be adaptvided with a cap member 26 which is detachably 35 ed to accommodate various sizes of pipe and Secured in place by means 0f an Ordinary breech also to accommodate wire line.' In this conneclock mechanism' generally indicated by reference tion it is an object of the invention to provide numeral 21. The cap 26 is provided with a cena blowout preventer which will permit coupled tral opening 28 of suilicient size to accommodate pipe 'to bev inserted against pressure. It is also any coupled pipe which it is desired to pass 40 an object of this invention to provide a closure through the blowout preventer. The cap memmeans for use at the top of an oil well casing ber 26 is provided with frustroconlcal sides 29 which may be manually operated. the purpose of which will subsequently be ap- These and other objects will be apparent from parent` the accompanying drawing and -the following The blowout prevention means of'the inven- 45 'description thereof. Referring to the drawing tion comprises a packer member generally indiwhich is for illustrative purposes only: cated by reference numeral 30. 'I'his packer is Fig. 1 is an elevation partly vbroken'away of adapted to rest upon a-base ring 3l which has the device of this invention showing it in relaa plurality of circularly disposed passageways 32 60 tion to the well casing and associated parts; therethrough. The base ring is provided with an 5 0 Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the upper and annular ridge 33 which extends into a v groove operativel part of the blowout preventer of this 34 in the lower end of the packer. invention and showing the blowout preventer The packer 30 is formed of rubber or some means in inoperative position the section being other suitable resilient substance and comprises taken on the line 2--2 of Fig. 4; an annular body portion 3.6 and a segmented 55 upper portion 31. Ihe segmented upper portion I1 comprises a plurality of portions 3l which will be termed fingers. These ngers at their outer periphery form a segmented continuation of the periphery of the annular body'portion I! when in normal positionlsuch as is shown in Fig. 2. The inner face 3l of each er is preferably slightly transversely curved an disposedat an inwardly converging angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the packer. lingers is undercut at lll in order to permit the fingers to be deiiected inwardly to the position in which they are shown in Fig. 3. When in an' inwardly deiiected position the inner surfaces 3l of the ngers cooperate to form a bore Il (Fig. 3)

` which is of less diameter than the bore 42 in the main body of the annular body portion 36.

Referring to Figs. 2 and 3 for the operation of the device there is shown in position therein a tubing or drill pipe M extending through the blowout preventer. If the blowout preventer is to be used in a drilling operation the drill pipe with a bit attached to the lower end is rst passed through the upper portion of the blowout preventer until the bit is positioned in the bore 24 or at a slightly lower point. 'I'he annular ring 3|, and packer 3l are then positioned in the body member 2l in the position in which they are shown in Fig. 2 and the cap member 26 secured to the top. The drill pipe may then be run downwardly through the blowout preventer, the ring 3l serving as a guide for the pipe. After the drill has been positioned at the bottom of the hole circulation of the rotary mud is then up through the casing il and outwardly through conduit I'I. As long as the valve I8 is open and the volume of the return circulation of the mud is not in excess of what can easily pass through the conduit i'l,- the packer 3l will remain in the position in which it is shown in Fig. 2. However. should a pocket of gas be drilled into of sumcient pressure to overcome the hydrostatic head of the drilling iluid and cause an increase in the return iiow of the mud, then the increased return flow will cause uid pressure to be exerted against the lower end of the packer I0, the

luid having access thereto through the open- 'ings I! in the ring 3| and through the central opening in that-ring. The pressure will force the packer 8l upwardly into the cap member 26. into the position in which it is shown in Fig. 3 and by reason of the. fact that the ringer members 38 are iambed into the converging conical sides of i the cap member. they are inwardly deflected and caused to tightly engage the drill pipe u and effect a packing-oil' thereoi'.` In this connection it should be pointed out that the V groove u in the bottom of the packer permits the uid presthe pressure against the lower end of the packer and causing same to pack oil.' or seal the pipe as is shown in Fig. 3.

It should be apparent that pipe can be run in the hole against pressure inasmuch as when a coupling engages the upper end of the ngers the Each of the assembly is caused to move downwardly allowing the lingers to deflect suiiiciently for the passage of the coupling. To facilitate this operation the upper ends oi the lingers are provided with inwardly converging surfaces 45.

It should be apparent from the above description and the accompanying drawing that a blowout preventer is provided which will automatically function to seal oil.' pipe or other objects within the blowout preventer upon any sudden increase in pressure. In this connection it is of course evident that extra packers l0, rings Il, and cap members 26 may be provided of various internal dimensions for diierent size tubing or apparatus to be run in the hole. In this connection even wire line might be accommodated and protection provided against blowout.

While the invention has been shown and described With reference to a particular construction, it is not intended to limit the invention to the exact construction illustrated and described, but it is intended to cover such modications as may come within the scope of the claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A blowout preventer adapted to be used in combination with a well casing having a string of tools extending thereinto comprising: a hollow body member; a hollow centrally apertured cap member removably mounted on said body member, said cap member having an upwardly converging interior wall portion; and an annular resilient packer slidably positioned in said body member, said packer comprising a solid annular body portion and a segmented annular upper portion, said segmented portion being comprised of a plurality of inwardly deilectable fingers adapted to form a tight closure about the string when in inwardly deflected position.

2. A blowout preventer adapted to be used in combination with a well casing comprising: a hollow body member having an inwardly extending shoulder between its ends; a hollow frustoconical cap member detachably mounted on said body member;I a ring seated on said shoulder, said ring extending below said shoulder and having an annular ridge on its upper end, said ring being apertured inwardly of said ridge; and an annular resilient packer normally seated on said ring, said packer having an inverted V groove in'its lower end to accommodate said ridge of said ring, said packer having an upper segmented portion consisting of inwardly deectable lingers.

3; For use in a blowout preventer of the type described, a packer member comprising: a. member formed of a resilient material, said member having a solid annular body portion and a segmented annular upper portion, said segmented portion being formed of inwardly defiectable ngers.

'4. For use in a blowout preventer of the type described, a packer member comprising: a member formed of a resilient material, said member having a solid annular body portion and a segmented annular upper portion, said segmented portion being formed of inwardly deectable fingers which when so deilected, form a bore of less diameter than the diameter of the bore of the body portion.

5. For use in a blowout preventer of the type described, a packer member comprising: a rubber member having a solid annular body portion and a segmented upper portion, said segmented upper portion consisting of a plurality of lingers forming a continuation of the outer surface of said body portion. said ngers each being undercut to permit inward radial deection.

6. For use in a blowout preventer .of the type described, a packer member comprising: a rubber member having a solid annular body portion and a segmented upper portion, said segmented upper portion consisting of a plurality of fingers forming a continuation of the outer surface of said body portion, said ingers each being undercut to permit inward radial deflection, said ingers each having an inner face angularly disposed with relation to the outer surface.

7. For use in a blowout preventer of the type described, a packer comprising: a rubber member having an annular solid body portion and a segmented upper portion, said segmented upper portion consisting of a plurality of inwardly deectable lingers, said fingers being so shaped as to form a bore of less diameter than the bore in said body portion when s aid fingers are in inwardly deected position.

8. A blowout preventer adapted to be used in combination with a well casing comprising a hollow body member; a hollow centrally apertured cap member removably secured to the top of said body member, said cap member having an upwardly converging interior wall portion; and an annular resilient packer slidably positioned in said body member having a bore normally larger than a tubular member or the like extending through said blowout preventer and normally of suieient size to permit passage of couplings or enlarged portions of said tubular member therethrough, said packer having deectable end por tions adapted to be deflected inwardly to engage said tubular member and eiect a seal thereof;

LEON E. DAY. 

